This last weekend I have visited London with my family and re-visited an old haunt of mine – an office I worked at for a couple of years way back – an office in Grosvenor Street London W.1

My daughter quickly pointed out that directly opposite was this plaque – Alexander Korda had used this address as his office around the time he was acquiring Denham Film Studios

Korda

ABOVE – Grosvenor Street, London W1 –

Sir Alexander Korda ‘dreamed a dream’ of building here a Film Studio that would rival – and possibly eclipse – it’s Hollywood counterparts.

He succeeded even though it was relatively short-lived.

Building the massive Denham Studios started in late summer 1935 on a 165-acre site near Denham village in Buckinghamshire.

It was by far the largest production facility in the country, it opened in May 1936, boasting seven sound stages, workshops for every craft, restaurants and dressing-rooms fit for Hollywood stars and a new Technicolor laboratory.

This was to be a dream factory whose films would have “prestige, pomp, magic and madness”, according to Korda

All the planning, negotiating and financing was all arranged through this Office in Grosvenor Street W.1

In fact this central London headquarters served as the command centre from where Korda produced breakthrough cinematic classics like The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) and Things to Come (1936).

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This is one of the most charming, magical films – an adaptation of James Barrie’s Peter Pan, the story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up.

This Disney cartoon classic offers flights of fancy that appeal to children’s fertile imaginations.

The ability to fly and be a youngster and never grow up, exploring a fantasy island of Indians, pirates, mermaids and mysterious caves is a powerful pull for young dreamers.

This is a wonderful film that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike!

Soon after Treasure Island when they were back in Hollywood and maybe two to three years later

Walt Disney and Bobby Driscoll

Walt Disney and Bobby Driscoll

One of Bobby’s notable roles was as Peter Pan in 1953. Although he was approaching his teen years, he was perfect as Peter Pan in Walt Disney’s eyes, as Peter Pan would have been the same age.

The film starts in London, where a very proper Wendy has one night left in the nursery before she must grow up. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Darling are out for an office party, and the nursemaid, a dog named Nana is tied up outside for the night. Peter Pan comes and takes Wendy and her brothers John and Micheal away to Neverland, “the second star to the right and staight on til morning”, with the help of the pixie dust from the jealous little pixie Tinkerbell. A sprinkling of the dust makes them fly, just like Peter does. Once in Neverland they encounter mermaids, Indians, but evil Captain Hook. This beloved story will bring you back to your childhood and this delightful score will be hard to forget! It is sure to have you singing along!

The production’s artwork is beautiful, and the characters and tunes add to the pleasure of watching this film. Peter Pan is nearly upstaged by his companion Tinker Bell, a temperamental pixie who is jealous and possessive of Peter’s friendship with Wendy. Captain Hook and his shadow, the crocodile, the beautiful mermaids, and Tiger Lily are all memorable characters. The tunes also make this adventure one of Disney’s best.

The film comes so soon after Walt Disney had returned from England, having made his first three Live Action films – although thinking about it, maybe it was being made shortly after Bobby Driscoll returned to Hollywood having starred in ‘Treasure Island’ here.

After searching further though he seems to have been in SIX films between Treasure Island and this one – so my conclusions are wrong

Here is Errol Flynn in a scene from the film. He was a really huge star. He made a few Westerns but we usually associate him the those swashbuckling roles that he fitted perfectly.

Only last week I was on holiday with my family in the Scottish Highlands – we didn’t pass by it but was quite near to the Eilen Donan Castle featured in ‘The Master of Ballantae’

I can see Errol Flynn there – he just belongs there somehow !!

Anyway, back to ‘San Antonio’

Directed by David Butler (with Robert Florey & Raoul Walsh, uncredited)
Written by Alan Le May & W. R. Burnett
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Cast: Errol Flynn (Clay Hardin), Alexis Smith (Jeanne Starr), S.Z. Sakall (Sacha Bozic), Paul Kelly (Roy Stuart), Victor Francen (Legare), Florence Bates (Henrietta), John Litel (Charlie Bell), Paul Kelly (Roy Stuart), Robert Shayne (Captain Morgan), John Alvin (Pony Smith), Monte Blue (Cleve Andrews), Robert Barrat (Colonel Johnson), Pedro de Cordoba (Ricardo Torreon), Tom Tyler (Lafe McWilliams)

Somebody at Warner Bros. had the brilliant idea to bring in the great Western writer Max Brand (real name: Frederick Schiller Faust), pay him a lot of money, and have him write pictures for them.

While at WB, he decided he wanted to be a war correspondent. Faust was sent to Italy to cover the war for Harper’s. He was hit by shrapnel and killed in May of 1944.

Brand’s work on a Western was handed over to W. R. Burnett and Alan Le May, and it became San Antonio (1945) starring Errol Flynn. Brand is not credited in the titles.

Errol Flynn plays Clay Hardin, a Texas cattleman in San Antonio looking for the rustlers who’ve been stealing herds, including his, along the Rio Grande. He ends up locking horns with Paul Kelly and Victor Francen, the crooks behind all the rustling — and who roughed up Flynn in a previous encounter. They’re not very good crooks, either — they have a notebook detailing what they stole and when. Flynn has it and they really want it back.

Along with Errol Flynn himself and Bert Glennon’s incredible Technicolor photography, what makes San Antonio is its cast.

Paul Kelly and Victor Francen are terrific as the villains.

Alexis Smith has real chemistry with Errol Flynn in their third picture together, as the performer he meets on the stagecoach to San Antonio. S.Z. Sakall is a wonderful as ever. John Litel is Flynn’s friend, and he suffers for it. And Tom Tyler is awesome as a gunslinger Flynn encounters near the beginning of the picture. Monte Blue’s in there, too.

Warner Brothers wasted no time in putting Errol Flynn through the paces of several westerns, the best of which was DODGE CITY (’39).

SAN ANTONIO gives Errol Flynn a chance to play another one of his suave western heroes who romances the local dance hall girl (ALEXIS SMITH) so we get a chance to hear a couple of pretty tunes along the way.

It’s a shame that Warners had so little faith in Alexis’ singing prowess that they dubbed her voice for the musical interludes. She went on to become an accomplished dancer/singer on Broadway in the years ahead. Nicest number is “Some Sunday Morning” which actually got an Oscar nomination as Best Song.

It was a case of ’round up the usual suspects’ when Warner Brothers looked to their Contract Players with John Litel, S.Z. Sakall, Paul Kelly, Tom Tyler (wasted in a small role), Florence Bates and Victor Francen.

With a jaunty score by Max Steiner, this is the kind of western you’ve seen many times before, but enhanced by some of the finest Technicolor and set decorations to be seen in any Warner film of this period.

Errol Flynn fans will enjoy it as one of his lesser excursions into the western genre. Fast moving and breezy entertainment.

It was on 1 February 1950 that Gene Markey’s Production for London Films of ‘The Wonder Kid’ was reported as being scheduled to go into Isleworth Studios on 6 February for four weeks studio work to complete the shooting following location work in the Tyrol and Vienna.

Newcomer Christa Winter arrived in England – but there were no other members of the Austrian cast needed.

The first week’s shooting was to be occupied with scenes showing Robert Shackleton, Christa Winter, Muriel Aked and Elwyn Brook-Jones.

Bob Krasker the lighting cameraman whose work on ‘The Third Man’ contributed so much to that film’s success has been assigned to camera work on ‘The Wonder Kid’

February 15th 1950

Karl Hartl directing the film moved into it’s second week – the first week having been taken up with shooting on a composite Salzburg Hotel set, comprising lounge, bedroom, and music room. Bob Krasker’s camera covered scenes between Elwyn Brook-Jones as Gorik, the Wonder Kid’s manager and his secretary played by June Elvin and also between Muriel Aked as Miss Frisbee, the Governess and Paul Hardtmuth as Professor Bindl the music master.

Another member of the cast was a large, amiable Alsation dog having taken over the role of Lowe, from the German police dog used on the Tyrol locations

It often can be a nightmare for any Studio Art Director to match up the location footage to the studio sets so this had to be done carefully and the task fell to Joseph Bato. An even more difficult task was taken on by George Gresty the scenic artist who was called on to provide a large painted backing seen through the window of the Hotel in Salzburg. He had one small photograph to guide him and yet produced a Tyrolean mountainside scene on his vast canvas.

Karl Hartl the Director – over a week – had been shooting scenes on three sets. Credit is due to the Studio staff carpenters, plasterers and painters all ensured that the sets were ready.

After these scenes, Hartl continued for two days on the exterior set of the mountain chalet reconstructed from photographs taken of the location for love scenes between Christa Winter and Robert Shackleton.

It seems the Studio shooting lasted little more than three weeks

BELOW is a portion of a comment left on the imdb site – I suspect I know who has written it :-

This now unjustly forgotten little film is thoroughly entertaining and wonderful to watch and definitely deserves to be restored properly and released on DVD. Apart from the truly picturesque scenery, Bobby Henrey’s performance as the cruelly exploited child prodigy who moves from misery to happiness is just wonderful. Highly recommended.

The Wonder Kid was actually released here in 1952. 

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The Wonder Kid – Pictured again with that lovely dog.

Stephen Boyd and Dolores Hart “Romance on the Run”- Movie Mirror September, 1960

We often hear that Dolores Hart was the girl who kissed Elvis – and speculation often comes back to any romance that might have been there – but in fact there was no romance at all. It was most likely because she was in love with another actor – Stephen Boyd.

Dolores Hart and Stephen Boyd were good friends after making “Lisa” together in 1961. They had previously worked together on an excellent World War 1 TV romance called “To the Sound of Trumpets”, which aired on February 9, 1960 on television for Playhouse 90. In Dolores’ autobiography The Ear of the Heart she describes working with Boyd on “To the Sound of Trumpets” :

Stephen Boyd and Dolores Hart

Dolores Hart said: Stephen was an amazingly gentle man for his brawn and size. He wasn’t tall but had substantial bulk- which I was gratefully aware of when he had to carry me. Most of my scenes were with Stephen, and we were frequently together for publicity interviews and photo layouts. But we also seemed to seek out each other’s company in private time. When I was working, I usually didn’t date, but on LISA, I saw Stephen for supper almost every night.

At first, Stephen found it difficult to open up, but gradually he became willing to speak about his private life. When I was agonizing over Mom’s fall off the wagon, he told me I shouldn’t waste my time shaking my fist at her. He admitted that he had also had a problem with alcohol and bluntly said that I couldn’t help my mother, that only she could help herself. He had stopped drinking only when he wanted to.

I found him deeply spiritual. We had many discussions about religion, in a general way, but occasionally we spoke of Catholicism. Stephen was adamant that although he was genuinely interested in the broad spectrum of religion, he was not attracted to any specific church. He would come to change that stand.

Our dinners grew to two and a half hours of soul-searching and reaching out, which Stephen acknowledged as a gift of understanding. Most men are dominant and directive. They’re threatened by a woman’s inner sense of authority. Stephen could expose his vulnerability. He let me show my authority. It didn’t make him feel less masculine. They are threatened by a woman’s inner sense of authority. Stephen could expose his vulnerability. He let me show my authority. It didn’t make him feel less masculine. I was grateful for his trust and began to feel that our relationship has a potential future.

By the time we got to London, I knew my feelings for Stephen had gone as far as they could go on a friendship level. I felt I had an obligation to indicate I was ready to move to a more personal one. Up to this point, there hadn’t even been a kiss. Not that I had never kissed Stephen, but it had never been that kind of a kiss.

One evening, returning from one of our walks in Saint James’ Park, we stopped at the front door as we had so many evenings, and I suddenly said, “Stephen, would you like to come in?” He looked at me and said, “Yes.” He leaned forward to kiss me, but the kiss was placed on my forehead. “Yes,” he repeated, “but you’re marked. Don’t you know that?” I was confused. I felt hurt. Had I exposed my vulnerability, my trust, only to be rejected? I wondered what he had meant by saying I was ‘marked’, but I didn’t ask for an explanation then. I never did. Our dinners and talks continued, but we never mentioned that evening. When the film was over, our lives moved apart. But I heard his voice–“You’re marked”- often.

Dolores would go on to become a nun at the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut in 1963.

I walked in the woods and sat in the sunny green fields watching lazy clouds overhead and wondering whether I would be able to come to grips with my life….I pondered a strange new awakening in my heart that cried for explanation…Yet I couldn’t get Stephen’s words out of my head: “You’re marked.” He had spoken softly but with such sureness….I was allowed to take two called that just happened to come in during my period of free time. Neither was monitored. One was from Elvis..the other call was from Stephen Boyd, who tried to sound supportive but, I could tell, was not thrilled with my move. He promised to visit as soon as it was permitted.

Stephen did indeed come to visit Dolores at the Abbey in early 1966, after he attend the premiere of The Oscar in New York City.

It was not a comfortable reunion. It was obvious that Stephen had a difficult time dealing with the grille. He later admitted it was like seeing me in prison. He told me he had become interested in Scientology. Remembering his distaste for organized religions, I cautioned him to think twice before getting too involved. He left the parlor quite abruptly, but instead of going to his apartment in the guesthouse, he drove right back to New York. He did not visit again, but we continued to correspond…(In 1970) he announced his plans to become an active member of the organization (Church of Scientology) and said that his life and mine could never find a crossing point, which saddened me. Stephen died of a heart attack in 1977.

Viewing “To the Sound of Trumpets” at the Paley Center for Media in NYC

PLAYHOUSE 90: TO THE SOUND OF TRUMPETS

After Stephen Boyd and Hart had starred in the TV Program “To The Sound of Trumpets” 1960, their press agents got them together for two separate magazine layouts to push their career visibility. This took place a year and a half before they filmed “Lisa” together. Below are pictures from these two photo shoots. One was labelled “Boyd Meets Girl” from Movie Life Magazine June 1960, and the other was called “Romance on the Run” from Movie Mirror Magazine in September of 1960.

“Boyd Meets Girl”

Screenland 1960 Magazine Photos regarding Boyd, titled “Love Gambler”

“Romance on the Run”

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Above photos from Screenland Magazine, November 1960.

Movie Mirror September 1960 Layout Below.

This film was shown on Talking Pictures this morning 21 July 2026

Anthony Asquith is the Director who does a really good job with this British wartime film with a thrilling climax.

These stills were taken from a Colorised Version that I came across

In the cast is Leslie Banks playing a scientist whose plans are so important to the British government that the Germans are working night and day to intercept them . Who could forget Leslie Banks in another Wartime classic ‘Went the Day Well?’ which came a little after this one – fact it was released the following year 1942

Leslie Banks’ daughter (Carla Lehmann) provides the romantic interest with Michael Wilding although she also shows interest in wounded soldier (John Mills).

John Mills’ character is convalescing at the family home after an injury.

Carla Lehmann is playing nurse, so of course, she spends time with Mills, which annoys Michael Wilding. This subplot becomes increasingly important, because John Mills is working for the Germans.

Meanwhile Leslie Banks’ wife (Jeanne de Casalis) has rented a room in the family’s nearby cottage to a mysterious stranger (Alastair Sim).

We learn that Alistair Sim is working for the Germans – or is he ?

The twist, is that Sim is actually a British spy sent to the area to fool the German organisation and counteract what Mills is doing.

In a very clever scene we do find out that he is actually a British agent – then the fun starts !!

Another character is evacuee (George Cole, in his first screen role at the age of 16) who has been sent here during the blitz. Cole is good as a know-it-all boy who tells Banks how to conduct his experiments, and who ends up helping Banks and Patch when Mills takes them hostage.

I must say now that I am not at all a fan of George Cole – I don’t know why but I am not

The last scene in which John Mills’ character is apprehended by Alistair Sim is amazingly well-played and full of unsettling images and tension SEE BELOW

I must say that I do like the colorised version – it makes the film well worth viewing

This man dominated the film popularity charts for longer than almost anyone else in Britain from the 30 s through into the mid forties. His films played to packed houses wherever the films were shown – and later when they came on Television they again attracted big audiences.

I remember Phyllis Calvert who appeared with him in one of his films saying that off-screen he seemed a quiet, almost dull man BUT when the cameras began to role, he became alive – she admired his style and recalls a complicated scene where George sings in front on a large audience and this took a number of ‘takes’ because one of the actors failed to come in with his line at the right time – but she says that George did the scene – singing the song – again and again and his timing was always perfect

After his last film ‘George in Civvy Street’ in 1946 he went back to ‘live’ theatre and in the early fifties he had a smash hit in London’s West End with ‘Zip Goes a Million’ at the Palace Theatre

What a happy face George has got.

I remember the duet he did with Sarah Gregory ‘ Ordinary People’ – quite an appealing song

After World War II, public tastes changed and George Formby stepped away from films and recording, instead touring the Commonwealth and continuing to entertain audiences worldwide.

In 1951, George took on the lead role of Percy Piggott in the West End musical Zip Goes A Million, based on Brewster’s Millions. Despite his worries that London audiences wouldn’t warm to his style, the show became a huge success, opening at the Palace Theatre and earning widespread praise for its humour, music and spectacle.

Although ill health forced George to leave the production after six months, the show went on to achieve an impressive 544 performances, cementing its place in British theatre history.

In the mid fiftes Bruce Seton starred as Fabian in a Television series ‘Fabian of Scotland Yard’ and the exciting opening sequence had Inspector Fabian seated in the rear seat of a Humber Hawk with a microphone to his mount saying in a terse voice ‘ This is Fabian – Of Scotland Yard’

Shot on film (rather than transmitted live from the studio as was the norm at the time) with Bruce Seton, stiff upper lip clamped on a pipe, as the dedicated Fabian

ABOVE – Bruce Seton as Fabian of Scotland Yard

Now I mention the car being the Humber Hawk and I was reminded of this whilst at a local Agricultural Show today, seeing, among the Vintage Cars arena, a Humber Super Snipe – but a convertible – a car I have never seen before.

1 9 5 4 – 1 9 5 6 (UK)
39 x 30 minute episodes

This legendary British police show from the 1950s – fictionalised cases of Scotland Yard’s real-life Detective Inspector Fabian.

Originally transmitted in the popular Saturday night slot, Fabian of the Yard was later moved to Wednesday – I do recall it in the mid week slot

The show was sold to America, where it was screened as Inspector Fabian of Scotland Yard or – in reference to the hero’s black Humber Hawk – Patrol Car.

A few episodes were edited together to make feature-length productions released in cinemas: Fabian Of The Yard (1954) and Handcuffs, London (1955).

Bruce Seton died, aged 60, in September 1969 at his home in London after a period of ill health. 

I liked Bruce Seton – and liked him as Fabian – and I always think that he should have had a much more high profile career than he did

An agngel flying over a Devon village is shot down by the local vicar – who only wings him – and so the angel takes up residence in the Vicarage and during his stay in the village observes so much !!

This is from an H G Wells story and was produced as the Sunday Play and broadcast ‘live’ on Sunday 3 February 1952 and repeated the following Thursday – again ‘live’

Kenneth Williams – then a straight actor took the role as The Angel

Because I was so young when this was transmitted I cannot recall much about it although I do recall seeing it.

Since starting to write this post, I have managed to purchase the BBC Radio play of ‘The Wonderful Visit’ and have listened to it so now know the story well.

When the angel is shot down, he ends up residing at the Vicarage where the Vicar starts to understand just who he is – realising that he is indeed an angel but the Doctor who treats him is much more sceptical. Eventually though he is taken aback by the speed the angel’s wings heal, but still is not friendly.

The Angel unnerves the villagers with one exception – a young local maid called Delia who falls in love with him.

The other villagers prove to be cruel towards him. The angel cannot believe how unpleasant the world of humans can be but his love of Delia is such a saving grace

The ending is tragic and yet, happy in that the angel and Delia are together forever.

I did really like ‘The Wonderful Visit’ written by H G Wells